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Press FreedomMyanmar

Myanmar: US journalist sentenced to 11 years in prison

November 12, 2021

Danny Fenster was sentenced on several charges, including incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information. He is the first Western journalist to be jailed in Myanmar in years.

https://p.dw.com/p/42ucI
T-shirt showing face of journalist Danny Fenster
Calls have grown for Danny Fenster's release in Myanmar Image: Jeff Kowalsky/Getty Images/AFP

A Myanmar junta court sentenced an American journalist to 11 years in prison on Friday. He was found guilty on several charges, including incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information.

Danny Fenster, the managing editor of the independent news publication Frontier Myanmar, had been detained since May. His lawyer Than Zaw Aung said he was also found guilty of contacting illegal organizations and violating visa regulations.

"Everyone at Frontier is disappointed and frustrated at this decision. We just want to see Danny released as soon as possible so he can go home to his family," Editor-in-Chief Thomas Kean said in a statement.

Fenster had been arrested at Yangon International Airport on May 24 as he was going to Detroit to visit his family. He has been held in Yangon's Insein prison since then.

man in a blazer with backback on the street
Danny FensterImage: via REUTERS

Why was Danny Fenster sentenced?

Since the military junta overthrew the elected government, Fenster is the only foreign journalist to face serious charges. The sentencing was based on "evidence" from the Information Ministry. 

The evidence showed that at the time of arrest, he had been working at a local outlet, Myanmar Now, which had its license revoked shortly after the coup. 

"There is absolutely no basis to convict Danny of these charges. His legal team clearly demonstrated to the court that he had resigned from Myanmar Now and was working for Frontier from the middle of last year," said the statement from his employer. 

Fenster also faces two additional charges at another court in Yangon. 

Myanmar's military rulers have shut down several independent media outlets. More than 100 journalists have been arrested, with 30 still in prison.

The Committee to Protect Journalists rights group said in a report in July that Myanmar's rulers had effectively criminalized independent journalism.

More than 1,200 civilians have been killed in protests against the junta, according to an estimate by rights groups. About 10,000 have been arrested, and thousands have fled the country. 

tg/fb (dpa, AFP, AP, Reuters)